Developments in Carbon-in-Pulp technology for gold recovery

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 76, No. 857, 1983

AMYN S. DAHYA and DAVID J. KING, Acres Davy McKee Engineering Inc., Toronto, Ontario

The object of the paper is to discuss the developments in Carbon-In-Pulp (C.I.P.) technology for gold recovery. The CIP process is comprised of four major operations:(a) adsorption of precious metals onto activated carbon;(b) elution (stripping) of precious metals from the loaded carbon;(c) electrowinning of the precious metals from the concentrated eluate;(d) regeneration of the eluted carbon before recycle to the adsorption process A detailed review of the technological developments in each of the above operations is presented together with a brief theoretical background of the underlying processes. The advantages and disadvantages of the CIP process are discussed in comparison with conventional zinc precipitation.

Keywords: Gold processing, Gold recovery, CIP Process, Merrill-Crowe Process, Carbon, Adsorption, Elution, Electrowinning, Zinc precipitation, Acid washing, Thermal reactivation.